MOLINE, Ill. — Editor's note: The video above was News 8's most-played YouTube video of 2022.
The countdown is on for the end of 2022, and while some may be ready to start 2023, we're looking back on the top stories that made headlines.
History-making events happened around the globe, such as the Winter Olympics in Beijing or Will Smith slapping Chris Rock across the face during the Oscars. (And all of that happened between the months of February and March!)
As we look to the new year, here's a roundup of the top 10 Quad Cities-area stories you clicked on.
Twice every year, hospital safety grades are given to nearly 3,000 general acute-care hospitals across the country twice by The Leapfrog Group.
Here's how your local Quad Cities hospitals fared.
After months of negations, railroad unions and the federal government reached a deal to prevent a nationwide rail strike in late November that could have potentially devastated national, regional and local economies.
One BNSF employee shared his story with News 8, documenting the contentious conditions and incredibly tough schedule that rail workers endure.
In the summer drivers going across the I-74 Bridge noticed new lines on the road and wondered what they are.
The alternating black-and-white lines, a result of a years-long interstate upgrade project from the Iowa Department of Transportation, are called contrast markings, which are designed to improve line visibility in different weather conditions.
The Moline-Coal Valley School District faced a minor controversy in January after a flyer inviting Jane Addams Elementary students to After School Satan Club began making the rounds on social media.
The club doesn't teach kids to worship the devil, to the surprise of many angry parents. It's actually an exercise in science, art and social skills that exists as an alternative to religious organizations and a testament to the 1st Amendment's requirements for freedom of religion.
Three members of a family, including a 6-year-old, and a suspect were found dead at the Maquoketa Caves State Park after a shooting was reported on July 22.
After the tragedy, citizens from across the area rallied to support the survivor, the Cedar Rapids community and the state park in the healing effort with memorials and a successful donation campaign.
The City of Galesburg saw tremendous upheaval when Cottage Hospital closed suddenly in January, causing chaos and uncertainty for residents' medical needs and the facility's employees.
Our reporters covered the story from every angle, including the employees' journey for new work, the city's response, the controversial owners, the shocking conditions the hospital faced in its final weeks, and OSF St. Mary's ascension as Galesburg's new primary health care provider.
Wow, you guys really love morel mushrooms!
These often sought-after mushrooms require some fairly picky growing conditions that are not easy to duplicate, which is what has turned the hunt for them into a sport that many enjoy today!
While their appearance may not look very appetizing, they are considered a delicacy. Their flexibility is quite high in the culinary world, being used in wine sauces, pasta, and even soup! Farmers markets across the country are often filled with these mushrooms, and they often come with a premium price attached.
As inflation ravaged the world and hit Quad Citizens in their wallets, Illinoisans saw a small reprieve with rebate checks sent out by the state government in the fall.
In May, payments rolled out in the settlement of a 2020 lawsuit against Facebook, now Meta, over its use of facial recognition technology that violated an Illinois privacy law.
Illinois Facebook users received payments of $200-$400 after Facebook was sued for using users' facial recognition data and other biometrics without their consent, specifically citing the company had failed to get permission before scanning and storing faces in users' photos through a "photo tagging" feature that has since been removed
66-year-old Jim Bloomberg, a well-known local farmer and cattle judge, was working on a chemical truck on his farm when it rolled over him on Thursday, May 19, 2022. Warren County Coroner Al McGuire said Bloomberg died from blunt force trauma.
He was also a member of the Illinois Simmental Board, member of the Illinois Beef Expo committee and a former president of the Abingdon School Board, District 217.
Other top stories
- 'Demand change' | Quad Citizens protest overturning of Roe v. Wade
- JT Poston wins the John Deere Classic
- 'More than just a baseball game' | Community celebrates Southeast Little League's World Series journey
- 'The haunt's always evolving' | QC haunts dead and alive reflect on industry challenges and future
- QC residents continue to show their support for Ukraine